Neon Genesis Evangelion: Succession
by leb22
Summary: After Third Impact, Shinji travels the world to find himself. However, when he returns to Japan he finds that it will be more difficult than he previously thought to escape his past. Now a man, Shinji realizes that he must once again face his destiny. SA
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion. only this storyline is mine.

Chapter One

He gazed out over the cliff, watching as the waves crashed against the side. The moon that night was full; so large that it seemed close enough to grab. The world around him was bathed in the brilliant moonlight to the point where any means of artificial light would have been redundant. Not that he would have needed it anyway. He had spent so much time here that he felt he knew the land better than the one he used to call home.

He took another drag of his cigarette and returned his eye back to the sheets of paper he held in his hand, reading it over for the second time.

_Dear Shinji,_

_It's been a while since i've written you. How are things going on your end of the world? I hope not as hectic_

_as they are here. Running NERV is even more taxing than either Kaji or I thought it would be. Not to mention_

_being pregnant is quite the pain in the ass. I'm starting to think I may not be cut out for all this motherhood_

_crap. However, Kaji continues to inform me that if I could play the role of guardian to both you and Asuka, then_

_motherhood should be simple. I'm not so sure I believe him, but we'll see how it goes. Anyway, enough about_

_what's going on over here (despite the hecticness of running NERV, nothing has really changed that I haven't_

_already told you), what's going on in the life of Shinji Ikari? Everyone here misses you quite a bit, and I still_

_haven't gotten the chance to properly thank you for giving me my second chance with Kaji. You should come_

_back, even if it's just for a short visit and let us all know you're still alive. Well, this is gonna be a short one,_

_so I guess you're off the hook this time. I've got things that need attending to. Write me back. _

_Love,_

_Misato_

_P.S. Kaji says hi_

Shinji took one last drag from his tar before flicking it out over the cliff. He once again took in the view of the ocean, savoring it as much as he could. Folding the letter and slipping it into his pocket, Shinji turned and made his way back to the small house where he had been staying.

It was a small one and a half story, built by the sweat and blood of the old man who lived there and was surrounded by a small farm. He and his wife had run across Shinji in his travels while they were on vacation and told him that, should he ever make it to Ireland, then he was to call them up and they would provide him with a place to rest his head. He took them up on the offer and has been with them for over two years, far longer than he had originally intended on staying in any one spot.

Shinji helped out around the farm every day, despite the initial objections of the older couple. He felt that he needed to repay them for providing him with a place to stay, and since they wouldn't accept his money, he had to find other means of doing so. He didn't mind though; the work was soothing and he felt it eased his mind. The very land around him seemed to have had a magical affect on him. As the old couple continuously pointed out, he had grown quite a bit since arriving here, both physically and emotionally.

Shinji now stood at five foot eleven, and due to the work on the farm had become quite the powerful young man. However, it wasn't that which the elder couple noticed most, it was his demeanor. He seemed to radiate an inner calm that he hadn't when coming here; one which showed that he was finally at peace with his past. He had become more bold in his dealings with people, and seemed to accept them more readily. Since he had been here, he opened himself up to more people than he had in his entire life back home, quickly becoming a favorite of many at the small village just up the road.

_Has it really been six years?_ he thought as the house drew near. _Doesn't seem like it. Maybe the old man's fairy tales are true, and time does move differently here than it does everywhere else. _He finished his musings when he reached the door. Taking his shoes off, he announced his presence and made his way to the living room. The old woman sat in her rocking chair knitting what appeared to be a dark green sweater and the old man sat at the opposite side of the room in his recliner smoking his pipe and staring at the small flame in the fireplace. Shinji sat down on the love seat adjacent to the fireplace; joining the old man in his intense study of the dancing flames. He opened his mouth to say something, but the old man beat him to it; taking in a deep sigh that signaled his upcoming speech.

"It's a beautiful night outside, Shinji, isn't it?" he asked. Although in word the question was directed at Shinji, the old man seemed to be talking to no one in particular. Shinji simply nodded. There was a long pause, causing Shinji to shift awkwardly. The old couple usually kept conversation lively; for them to be this quite was disconcerting.

"Shinji, in the time you've been here, Nell and I have come to see you as a sort of son to us. You know well that we were never able to have children of our own, and your being here has made us immensely happy. However, as happens with children, they must all someday leave the nest…"

At this point Nell interrupted, having noticed the awkwardness between the two, "Shinji, I think what Sean is trying to say is that, we love having you here, but if you feel you need to return to Japan then we completely understand and are behind you the whole way. I'm sure that there are many back in your home country who miss you greatly, and this Misato woman sure seems to want to see you again. Don't you think you've kept them waiting long enough?"

Shinji closed his eyes, a small smirk showing on his face. _I walked in the door and they already had me figured out before a single word left my lips._ He nodded slowly then looked at the two who had helped him through so much. Giving a small sigh, he said, "I think you're right. As much as I love being here I have friends back in Japan who have made it abundantly clear that they miss me. I wasn't ready to face them again at first, but now I feel that I can. Like Misato always told me, I can't run forever".

The old couple smiled at each other then nodded. "Shinji," Liam began, "we were waiting for this day, and I've got something I'd like you to have". He reached into his pocket and tossed a small metal object in Shinji's direction. Shinji caught it and turned it over. It was a zippo style lighter with a celtic cross etched into one side.

"Your lighter? But wasn't this a gift from your father?" he asked, slightly surprised.

The old man nodded, "It was, and I wanted to pass it down to my son. You're the closest thing I've ever had to that, so I can think of no better person to leave it with."

"Thank you," Shinji said, giving the man a very warm smile.

"Okay, my turn," said the old woman. Nell stood up and walked over to sit next to Shinji on the love seat. "I assume you've noticed me working on this for quite a while. Well I just finished it today and I'd like you to have it," she said, handing Shinji the dark green sweater she had been knitting. Shinji beamed and slipped the sweater on over his head. It fit perfectly, and was quite warm. Leaning over, he gave the old woman a hug and thanked her. Nell smiled, and when the hug broke, she said, "Well, Shinji, I believe you should start packing your things. We've got a little work we'd like you to do on the farm tomorrow, if you don't mind, so you wont have time to do a whole lot of packing during the day."

Shinji nodded and stood up. "I don't mind at all. I'll get my stuff together tonight and help you out all day tomorrow. However, I was thinking of leaving the day after tomorrow. I know it's soon, but I don't exactly do well with long goodbye's. I hope you both are alright with that." he said, a hint of sadness on his face. However, the elderly couple simply smiled at him and nodded. "Well," he said, "in that case, I think I'm going to get started. Good night". He hugged Nell one last time, nodded to Sean then made his way up the stairs to gather his things.

In two days he'd be on his way back to Japan for the first time in six years. He just hoped that he was truly ready to face his past.

--

Shinji woke from his dreamless sleep as the plane prepared for landing. Looking out the window, he could see Tokyo-3 beneath them. He was amazed at the progress the city had made in six years he had been gone. When he left, he was leaving behind a city in ruins; however, he returned to a city that was more beautiful than he ever recalled it being. _I suppose when you don't have to double as a fortress you'll be allowed more creative liberties in your construction, _he thought as he stared at the city beneath him.

When the plane landed, Shinji grabbed the one bag that he had brought with him (having sent the rest on a separate flight) and made his way through the gate, searching for the ones who were supposed to meet him. To his luck, as one might see it, they found him fairly quickly. He was hailed by two male voices screaming out his name in harmony. Turning around, Shinji didn't even get the chance to see his friends before he was wrapped up in a bone-crushing hug. Shinji dropped his bag, returning the hug as best he could.

"Shinji, man, its been an eternity! Where have you been all my life?" screamed Toji, tears of joy streaming down his face. Shinji grinned and separated himself from his now rather giant friend.

"O, here and there, they say. Toji, Kensuke, how have you been? We haven't talked in quite a while," Shinji said, looking at his two friends.

"No kidding man. Is it really so difficult to call once in a while?" asked Kensuke. Shinji barely recognized the super-nerd who was his friend when he first saw him. Like Toji, Kensuke had grown quite a bit. The freckles had seemingly disappeared from his face, and he traded in his glasses for contacts. His face had lost its baby-fat and become much more angular than Shinji remembered it. However, he realized, Kensuke still radiated nerd; not having changed his build much at all except to grow taller. Toji on the other hand had physically matured just like one would expect from someone of his athletic ability. Overall, he looked like a much taller and more built version of his high school self.

"A phone works two ways, Kensuke. You guys both had my number," Shinji replied, his words coated in mock severity.

Kensuke just gave him a guilty grin. Toji reached down and grabbed Shinji's bag. Throwing his arm around his friend, he led him out of the airport. "Come on man," he said, "let's get you set up at your new apartment. It's one of the nicer complexes from what I'm told. Although it still makes no sense to me why you chose an apartment over a house. You could easily afford it with the kind of money NERV and the U.N. owe you."

Shinji shook his head as they made their way to the parking lot. "I'm just one person, Toji, and a rather clean one at that. I think a house of any size would be a little overkill for me."

"I guess so, but think of the parties we could throw if you had," Toji said with a grin on his face. Shinji just chuckled at this, having expected no less from his friend. They arrived at Toji's car, a small Honda Civic. Toji threw Shinji's luggage in the back then unlocked the car. "So, Shinji," Toji said, nodding towards the car, "what do ya think?"

Shinji opened the front passenger-side door and got in. "It's nice," he stated, "but not quite my style".

"Oh really?" asked Kensuke. "Then what is your style?"

"Well, I've kind of developed a thing for muscle cars. A friend of mine from Greece had a 1967 Pontiac GTO, and I pretty much fell in love with that car. I think I'm gonna go that route," he said thoughtfully.

"Very nice," said Toji. They left the parking lot and pulled out onto the freeway; Kensuke bringing Shinji up to speed on all that had been happening. Shinji listened absent-mindedly, noticing something he hadn't realized when his friends first walked up.

"Toji, your arm!" Shinji yelled in surprise. He was mildly embarrassed that it hadn't clicked with him sooner. Toji glanced at Shinji, then at his arm, suddenly realizing what he was talking about.

"Yeah, courtesy of NERV," he said, moving his right arm around while still watching the road. "You like it? It works as a fully functional limb. It's similar to the technology they used for the Evangelions. Even the sensory details of this thing are amazing. I sometimes forget it's not my real arm."

"That's amazing," Shinji said, clearly impressed. "I'm glad NERV is finally putting its resources to good use."

"Well what do you expect from Commander Katsuragi?" asked Kensuke.

"Commander?" said Shinji, confusion on his face.

"Yeah, her and Kaji are in charge of NERV now, didn't she tell you?" Kensuke seemed quite surprised at Shinji's lack of knowledge on the subject.

"No, that's not what I meant. I knew about that part, I was wondering when you started calling her Commander Katsuragi instead of Misato," Shinji stated.

"Kensuke here started calling her that when he started working for NERV," said Toji. "Heck, even I call her Mrs. Katsuragi now that her and Kaji are married. It's awkward calling her Misato anymore."

"She didn't take Kaji's surname?" asked Shinji, mildly surprised. Misato had told him about their union, but he didn't really recall her saying anything about keeping her name. she always just signed her letters- _Misato_.

"Na, she's too stubborn and independent to do something like that," said Toji. The rest of the way to Shinji's apartment was spent reminiscing about the few good times Shinji had during his time in Tokyo-3.

The trio pulled into the parking lot of a small two-story apartment complex. Popping the trunk and grabbing Shinji's luggage, the three made their way to Shinji's second floor apartment. Reaching into his pocket, Kensuke pulled out the key Misato had given him and handed it to Shinji. "Here you go man, do the honors".

Shinji obliged, taking the key and opening the door. Announcing his presence, Shinji took off his shoes and entered the apartment. Looking around, he had to admit it was quite impressive for an apartment. It had a very spacious living room on the right and a fully equipped kitchen on the left as soon as one stepped through the door. Followed by his two friends, Shinji toured the rest of the apartment. The bathroom, Shinji decided, was a little more than he needed. It had a jacuzzi-shower and two sinks, which Shinji saw as mildly redundant. Moving on, the three checked out the first of two bedrooms. It wasn't very big, but that suited Shinji just fine. He didn't see the reason for all that excess space, and the second bedroom provided extra room should he need it (although he very much doubted that such a need would arise). Walking through, Shinji realized that Misato had already had the entire house furnished, which was good seeing as how Shinji himself had no furniture.

Making their way back into the main area, Shinji and Kensuke both collapsed on the couch. Toji, having noticed a note on the fridge on his way in, went over to the kitchen. The note simply read, A gift for missing your twentieth birthday. -Misato. He read the note out loud so Shinji and Kensuke could hear him. "Well Shinji," Toji said, "ten bucks says I know what's in your fridge!"

"No way, I'm not taking that bet. Anyone who knows Misato would have to be crazy to accept that one," Shinji replied.

Opening the door, Toji confirmed his suspicions. However, he wasn't quite prepared for the mass quantity. Busting out laughing, Toji yelled to Shinji and Kensuke, "Holy freakin hell, guys, I knew it'd be beer but this is a little excessive!"

Groaning in mock despair, Shinji got up off the couch and walked over to the refrigerator. When he saw what Toji was talking about, his eyes widened. "Who the hell could drink this much?! The fridge is completely stocked!" he exclaimed. However, after a moments thought he answered his own question. "Never mind, I suppose this is a Misato amount. Man, I don't even know if I can drink all of this stuff. I just came back from spending two years in Ireland. After that, Yebisu might be a little hard to handle," he said.

Toji grabbed three out of the fridge, handing one to Shinji. "Only one way to find out. Kensuke, heads up!" he said, tossing one to their other friend. Making their way back into the living room, the three sat down and continued their discussion for roughly another two hours; casually putting away the Yebisu as they went.

Eventually, around five o'clock, Kensuke and Toji decided it was time for them to leave. Getting up, the two wished Shinji good luck in his new place, giving him their respective addresses. After a brief goodbye, they were on their way.

--

A/N: thanks for reading. I'd like to point out that none of my chapters will have titles. I tried this, but I realized that they always come out like the title of a DBZ episode. I don't want to give that much away just by a title. Anyway, thanks again. Please R&R.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: i do not own Evangelion

A/N: Okay, so after I uploaded last chapter it was brought to my attention that the letter was in a rather odd place. That wasn't intentional, even if it did have some sort of artistic value. Sorry if that confused anybody. I believe that i've remedied that. Anyway, here's ch. 2. sorry for the wait, this story won't be updated that regularly because i'm working on a Zelda one at the same time. Enjoy

Chapter 2

It was around seven o'clock and Shinji was on his balcony flipping through the American muscle section of a used car magazine, cigarette in hand when he heard a knock on his door. Putting the smoke out, Shinji went to answer it. Whoever was on the other side was getting rather impatient, as they continued to knock ceaselessly. "Chill out, I'm coming," Shinji yelled, mildly irritated. However, the person on the other side had apparently lost their patience, for as soon as Shinji placed his hand on the knob the door flew open; nearly breaking his nose in the process.

"Shinji!" someone screamed in rather high-pitched voice. Before he had time to react he was pulled into a suffocating embrace. "What the hell took you so long, we've missed you!"

"Hey Misato," Shinji said, letting out a low chuckle. He made to return the hug, only to realize he could barely get his arms around her. Pushing her back a little, his eyes shot wide open as he got a good look at her new form. _Holy crap,_ he thought_ Misato's sto…_"Go ahead and say it, Shinji. 'Holy crap, Misato's huge!'" she said in her best imitation of her former charge. Shinji just grinned, scratching the back of his head. Looking past Misato, he suddenly realized that she hadn't come alone.

"O, hey Kaji!" he said excitedly. "It's good to see you again".

"Likewise, Shinji. Been doing well, I hope," Kaji replied.

"What the hell is this?" Misato yelled, looking at each in turn. "Kaji gets a 'It's good to see you again,' and all I get is 'Hey, Misato' and a stupid chuckle!" Misato said, incredulously.

Shinji smiled apologetically. "Sorry Misato," he said. "Come on, lets go sit out on the balcony, its gorgeous out tonight. Kaji, you want a beer?" Shinji asked, heading towards the fridge.

"Sure, Shinji, I'll take one," the older man replied happily as he made his way out to the balcony.

"What, again?! I'm here too, Shinji, or have you already forgotten?" Misato yelled, glaring at the poor boy.

Shinji closed the fridge, a beer in each hand and gave Misato a brilliant smile. "Come on, Misato. I could never forget about you. I didn't even offer because you're pregnant. I wouldn't give you one even if you'd said yes," he explained.

Sighing, Misato just turned around and marched off towards the balcony, mumbling something about how she didn't need taking care of and she was the one who bought him the beer in the first place. Shinji rolled his eyes and followed them out, handing Kaji his beer and taking a seat next to Misato.

"Well, Shinji, despite the fact that you've been rude I suppose I'll ask how you've been. I see you're looking for a new car… and picked up smoking" she pointed out, noticing the magazine and pack of cigarettes on the table.

Shinji nodded, taking a drink from the golden can. "Yeah, not one of the better moves I've made. So many people in Europe smoke that I started up without really giving it any thought. As far as the new car, yeah, I'm looking. Not having a whole lot of luck though".

"Really?" Misato asked, slightly surprised. "What kind of car are you looking for that you can't find one?"

"Well, I told Kensuke and Toji earlier that a friend of mine in Greece owned a '67 Pontiac GTO. I'd like to find one of those," he said, leaning back in his chair and lighting up a cigarette.

"Shinji, there's one right on the cover, what do you mean you can't find one," Misato asked.

"Well, I was kind of hoping to make it a project car. The one on the cover is in really good condition, I wouldn't get the chance to put a whole lot of work into it if I bought one like that," he stated.

"Ah, I see. Gotten into auto mechanics, have you Shinji?" asked Kaji.

Shinji nodded, "A little bit. I'm no expert yet, but I enjoy working on them, and I'm a pretty quick learner".

"Well," Misato said, "in that case, I'll have to see what I can do for you. Do you have a garage to work in?"

"No," he said, shaking his head, "I'll have to figure that out. I do however have one hell of a tool chest. It's still on its way here". This last point he said with great pride.

"Well then, Shinji, we'll have to find a place for you to work. But enough about the car. How were your travels?" asked Misato.

"I'd have to say they were pretty incredible. Getting away really helped me figure out who I am and where I'm going," the young man explained. Shinji and Misato spent the next two hours trading stories while Kaji mostly just sat there, throwing in his two cents only when asked or to elaborate on what Misato was saying (and occasionally to poke fun at her).

When nine o'clock rolled around Kaji finally spoke up. "Misato, dearest, we should get going. I have to be at NERV early tomorrow, and you need your sleep."

Misato nodded, getting up from her chair with incredible ease; a feet which Shinji found impressive seeing as how large her stomach was. "Kaji's right, we'd better get going Shinji. But hey, you know, you should stop by NERV tomorrow for a visit," she said excitedly. "A lot of people there miss you and would love the chance to get to see you again."

Shinji shook his head. "Misato, I know I said that I've come to grips with my past but…"

"Relax, Shinji, I'm not asking you to pilot. I'm just saying you should stop by and see everyone again," she said, trying to convince him. "Besides, if I'm not mistaken I believe Asuka has a sync test tomorrow. You two probably have a lot of catching up to do," she said with a mischievous wink. Shinji simply rolled his eyes, finally agreeing to stop by. "Good then, it's settled. Here, take this. It's a visitors pass so that you can get into headquarters".

Shinji took the pass from Misato and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You were planning on this from the start, weren't you?" he asked suspiciously.

Misato just gave Shinji another playful wink before her and Kaji said their goodbyes and made their way out the door. After closing the door behind them Shinji turned and leaned with his back against it, staring at the visitor's pass in his hands. _I wasn't exactly expecting to visit that place again so soon. O well, better to get it over with now than put if off._ With that thought Shinji made his to his room and collapsed on his bed, tired from the day's events. Flipping on his mp3 player he quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.

Shinji woke up early the next morning and made his way into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee; another habit he had developed in his travels. While the coffee was brewing he went into the bathroom for a much needed shower. As the warm water rolled down his body his thoughts began to wander. _So I suppose I'm stopping by NERV today. It will be good to see everyone again, I guess Although I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to face Asuka today. Maybe I'll try and sneak in and out during her sync test._ Shinji then got a mental image of Asuka's reaction when she found out that the third child had been there and snuck around so that he didn't have to see her. Chuckling at this thought Shinji got out of the shower, slipped on a pair of jeans and made his way into the kitchen.

Plugging his mp3 player into the small speakers he had with him he flipped it on and went over to pour himself a cup of coffee. Setting the pot back down, Shinji made his way out to the balcony and took a seat facing the rest of early morning Tokyo-3; leaving the door open so that the sound of the small jazz combo could still easily reach his ears. Lighting up a cigarette to complete his morning ritual, Shinji went over the days itinerary in his head. After stopping by NERV, he decided that he'd go around town in search of a car. After that he figured that he'd give Kensuke and Toji a call to see what those two were up to. He spent the rest of the early morning sitting out on his balcony sipping coffee and watching as the rest of Tokyo-3 began the day.

--

Shinji slid his pass through the scanner, opening the door in front of him. Going through, he made his way to the elevator. Pressing the down button, he waited for the elevator door to open. It did so almost immediately, revealing two people whom Shinji was quite familiar with.

"Oh my… Shinji?" the brown haired girl asked, not quite sure she could trust her eyes.

Shinji stepped into the elevator with a grin. "Miss Ibuki, Hyuga," he said, nodding at the two.

There was a moment of awkward silence as the other two stared at him in surprise. All of the sudden Maya gave out a rather uncharacteristicly high pitched squeal. "Oh my God, it is you!" she screamed, wrapping him up in a tight hug. "How have you been, everyone's been wondering about you. We've all missed you these past few years!"

Shinji chuckled, gently detaching himself from the young bridge bunny. "Oh, I've been around. Hasn't Misato filled you guys in on my life while I was away?" he asked.

"No man," Hyuga said, "she just kept telling us that you were doing well. Said you were becoming a man of the world."

At this remark, Shinji laughed a little more whole-heartedly. "A man of the world, huh? I don't know about that. I mainly just traveled bits and pieces of Europe. Stayed in Ireland for two years with an elderly couple then decided it was time to come back".

"Well I'm glad you did," replied Maya, who still seemed to be excited about the young man's presence. "So what are you doing here? I'm assuming that you're not going to pilot, right?" she asked, attempting to hid the worry in her voice. She knew as well as anyone save Misato how piloting had affected him.

Shinji shook his head, noticing the relief on her face. "No, I'm not. Just here for a visit. Figured I'd watch Asuka's sync test while I was at it."

Hyuga got a look in his eye which Shinji recognized immediately as being the look Misato got when she was about to tease Shinji relentlessly. "Ah, I see. Here for the second child, are we? Who can blame ya man, she's grown into quite the fine young woman," he said with a wink.

Shinji got a sheepish grin on his face and could tell as soon as Maya opened her mouth that she wasn't going to make this situation any less awkward. "That she has. However, you've grown into quite the attractive young man yourself. Heck, if I didn't think Asuka would rain hellfire down on me for doing so, I believe I might be making a pass at you".

This comment aroused a blush from Shinji. Just then, the elevator doors opened up as if someone was watching over him. Kaji was standing in the doorway and gave Shinji a warm smile. "Ah, Shinji. I'm glad you could make it. I see you've already reunited with some of your former co-workers," he said, stepping into the elevator. Shinji grinned and nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Well, shall we go to the bridge? I believe Asuka's sync test is about to begin. In fact, she should be changing into her plug suit as we speak. Care to watch the test?" Kaji asked.

"Sure," Shinji said. Then, leaning in so that only Kaji could hear him he asked, "Is there any way I can watch without her seeing me, I'm not quite ready to face her yet," he explained. Kaji simply nodded his understanding. When the elevator came to a stop, Kaji was the first to step out, motioning for Shinji to follow him. The two made their way to the top level of the bridge, Shinji standing next to Kaji.

"You should be fine here. The camera's tend to not focus on me unless I have something important to say," Kaji comforted.

After about ten minutes wait, in which Kaji and Shinji made small talk, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi entered the room. The shock was evident on his face when he noticed her. Turning to Kaji he said, "I didn't know Dr. Akagi came back. I figured she'd stayed behind when no one had heard from her for so long."

"Yep, she came back, although I'm not entirely sure why. When we first found her all she was doing was sulking around in self loathing. Misato finally got fed up with it and told her to make up for her… past transgressions by coming back to NERV and doing something good with her life. I think she was going to object, but you know Misato. She didn't leave her much choice in the matter. Since then, however, she seems to have been considerably more at ease with herself and those around her," Kaji said.

"Huh," was all Shinji said in reply. He watched as the doctor walked over to Lieutenant Ibuki and the exchanged a few words, a shy smile on the bridge bunny's face. Shinji smirked at this, but didn't voice his observations.

Finally, Ritsuko turned and gave Kaji a questioning look. If she noticed Shinji standing by him then she hid it well, for she showed no sign of it. Kaji nodded his head to her and she turned back towards the massive screens in front of them. The screens all came on at once, and pictures of Asuka and Unit 02 were everywhere. "Alright, Asuka, we're ready to begin. Are you good to go?" she asked.

"Sure am. Let's get this over with, I've got a friend I'm meeting right after this," Asuka said.

"Wouldn't happen to be Shinji, would it," asked Ritsuko mischievously, eliciting a groan from said Ikari.

Asuka gave the doctor a strange, almost offensive look. "Shinji? Where the hell did that come from?! I haven't talked to that dummkopf since he ran away! Good riddance I say," Asuka fumed.

"O, no reason, just trying to get a rise out of you. What do you say we begin, huh?" Dr. Akagi asked. Asuka just gave an affirmative "whatever" and they began the sync test. From where he was standing, Shinji could swear he saw a small smirk on Dr. Akagi's face.

"Well, Shinji," said Kaji, "it seems that the good doctor had it already figured out that you were avoiding Asuka, wouldn't you say?"

"She's gonna get me into more trouble than I'm apparently already in," Shinji groaned.

As they watched the sync test, Shinji could see that Asuka's scores had drastically improved since last he saw here. Her sync score was sitting at a steady 92 percent, which was impressive to say the least. As the sync test was coming to an end, Shinji turned to Kaji, getting ready to ask if there was a way out of NERV where he could avoid Asuka for a little longer when the alarms began to blare. Shinji whirled around and faced the screens. Several pictures of the surrounding Tokyo-3 area replaced those of Asuka and Unit-02.

"Ma'am, we have reports of two massive objects on the outskirts of Tokyo three! Patterns match that of an Eva," Maya yelled, confusion etched in her voice.

As things became hectic, Shinji turned to Kaji. "What's going on," he asked.

"Hmm, I'm not sure," Kaji replied coolly, " but I believe we are about to find out. It seems that you have picked a rather interesting day to return, Shinji. Things may get a little crazy here in a second."

--

Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion.

Chapter 3

Dr. Akagi turned to Kaji and the two exchanged a look that seemed to convey a mutual understanding. Stepping forward, Kaji addressed the one screen that still held a picture of Asuka. "Asuka, are you prepared to deploy?"

"Finally," Asuka said, a large grin on her face. "I was getting bored around here. It's about time I have a real opponent. Fighting a few renegade outlaw's with stolen nukes isn't much of a challenge in an Eva."

"Listen to me Asuka, we still do not have visual of the enemy, all we know is that the patterns match that of an Eva, but it could be anything. Once you reach the surface, you're primary objective is to make visual contact. Once that is established you will wait for the target to make the first move. We need to know there motives before we get into an all-out battle right next to the city. Do you understand?" Kaji asked.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this show on the road," exclaimed Asuka.

The screen went blank and Shinji watched as the techs went to work trying to establish a satellite visual. After a few unsuccessful minutes, Aoba turned to Kaji. "Sir, we can't establish satellite visual. In fact, all of our satellites seem to be stationary. I believe they're partially jamming our signal," he explained.

"Hmm. Dr. Akagi, see what you can do with the Magi. I want a visual as soon as possible. I'd rather not send Asuka out there with no one watching her back," Kaji ordered. Shinji was amazed at Kaji's demeanor. Even in a situation like this he seemed to be the suave, collected man that he always was. Dr. Akagi nodded and made her way to the Magi's primary control station, immediately setting to work. Turning his attention back to the screen before him, Kaji once again addressed Asuka. "Asuka, are you and Unit Two prepared to launch?" he asked.

"You bet we are. Just give the order," she replied confidently.

"Very well. Unit Two, launch!" Kaji yelled.

Shinji watched the screen that depicted Unit-02's progress up the launch tube. When she reached the surface, Asuka sent back a visual feed to headquarters. "I don't see anything yet, where the hell are they?" she asked, frustration apparent in her tone.

"Be patient and stay your ground, Asuka. We've only got one Eva, we can't have you going off and getting into a fight without at least visual confirmation of the enemy first," Kaji said.

Shinji watched through Unit-02's eyes as Asuka scanned the surrounding area. Time ticked by slowly, and it seemed that everyone in the command center was holding their breath. Finally, Shinji could see the tree's on the mountain before her moving unnaturally. Unit-02 got into a battle read position, holding it's rifle up in preparation for the enemy. When it finally rounded the corner a gasp went up from everyone watching.

Making its way towards Unit-02 was a giant white Evangelion. Its head held the vague appearance of an aquatic creature, and it's mouth was pulled back in what appeared to be a feral grin. Shinji instantly recognized it as one of the Production Model Evangelions that had helped in the innitiation of Third Impact.

The white Evangelion unit drew a giant double edged blade and continued making its way towards Asuka. When he saw the blade, Kaji decided that he'd had enough of a visual. "Asuka, you are given permission to engage the target. Its intent is clear enough, don't hold back," he ordered sternly.

Everyone in the command center waited for Asuka to open fire. When she did not a wave of confusion passed over the room. A concerned look passed over Kaji's face. He briefly turned to Shinji, then back to the screen's before him. "Asuka, did you hear me. You have permission to engage the target. It has been classified as an enemy, you are free to open fire," he repeated.

Still nothing. Another moment of silence passed as the Evangelion unit made its way towards Asuka and Unit-02. In the silence, Shinji thought he heard the word "mamma" come from the speakers before him. Then, out of nowhere a blood-curdling scream was emitted from Asuka and Unit-02 opened fire. The rival Evangelion dodged her initial shots but Asuka kept with it. However, as Shinji watched Asuka's attempts to load her opponent full of rounds a loud crash could be heard and the screen suddenly turned to static.

Shinji leapt forward. "Asuka!" he screamed, leaning over the side.

Kaji ignored him, looking down at the bridge. "Dr. Akagi, what's the status on satellite visual?" he asked.

"I've almost got it. I need just one more minute," she responded urgently.

"We don't have a minute, I need a visual now!" he yelled, breaking his cool façade.

A few seconds passed then Dr. Akagi gave a triumphant yell. No sooner had the words, "There, I've got it!" reached Shinji's ears when an overhead view of the battlefield appeared before him. He was horrified by what he saw.

Asuka was battling what appeared to be not one but _two_ Evangelion units, and she seemed to be on the losing side. Shinji's knuckles were white from the death-grip he had on the side of the balcony. "Kaji!" Shinji said, turning to the man beside him.

Kaji regarded Shinji for a brief moment, then gave him an affirmative nod. Looking back he addressed the bridge. "Dr. Akagi, is Unit One prepared for operation?" he asked.

For a moment, Dr. Akagi was confused; but when she looked at Shinji she immediately understood. "It should be. We won't know until we try however," she said.

"Right. Well then, prepare Unit One for immediate launch," Kaji ordered. Despite the general confusion on the bridge, people scurried about to fulfill their duties. Kaji glanced at Shinji. "I trust you know where you're going," he stated with a small smile on his face. Shinji simply nodded and made his way to Unit-01.

When Shinji got to Unit-01, he was greeted by many shocked faces; one of which was Kensuke's. "Shinji!" he exclaimed in surprise, "Are you going to pilot Unit-01?!"

"Yeah," said Shinji, not stopping to say anything else. He made his way up to the entry plug and climbed into the familiar cockpit. _Well,_ he thought, _it seems I wasn't able to escape you after all, huh?_ He gave a resigned sigh, then finished his thoughts:_ well, mom, lets do this._He was briefly surprised at the sensation of the entry plug filling with LCL, but quickly became re-accustomed to the familiar feeling.

Dr. Akagi's voice came over the entry plug speakers. "Shinji, Unit-01 is currently outfitted with a pistol on each leg and the prog knife, but that's all you'll have unless you can make it to one of the weapons bunkers," she informed him. Shinji merely nodded, knowing full well she could see him.

When everything checked out and Unit-01 went online Shinji heard Kaji give the order to launch. A sense of nostalgia briefly washed over Shinji as his stomach did cartwheels while Unit-01 ascended to the surface.

Back at the bridge, Dr. Akagi turned to Kaji. "Do you think he can save her?" she asked, "I mean, it has been a while since he's piloted".

Kaji smiled, not taking his eyes off the screen before him. "Ritsuko, I believe it would take the hand of God Himself to stop Shinji now. I have to admit, I feel a little bad for anyone who would hurt that girl while he's around."

As soon as he reached the top Shinji took off at break-neck speed towards the battle. When he rounded the corner, however, he came to an immediate halt. The two opposing Evangelion units had heard him coming, and one held Unit-02 with a blade across its throat. For what seemed like an eternity the three Evas were in a standoff. Finally, Shinji figured out a plan.

"Kaji, cut all of Asuka's nerve connections. I'm going to have to damage Unit-02 to save her," Shinji explained.

"Right... It's done," Kaji confirmed.

With lightning speed Shinji drew the two pistols attached to Unit-01's legs and leapt into the air; instantly opening fire on Unit-02. The sudden attack clearly caught his opponents off guard, and the one holding Asuka loosed its grip and stumbled backwards as the rounds busted through Unit-02 and collided with its A.T. field. The other one, however, was quick to recover and launched its weapon at Shinji before he even hit the ground. Twisting in midair Unit-01 barely avoided the large projectile and opened fire on the second Evangelion.

Unit-01 hit the ground running. Taking time to reload, Shinji ordered Kaji to eject Asuka's entry plug. When he saw the capsule shoot into the air he made a dash for the unit that had been holding her, sending round after round into it's chest. His opponent, however, quickly regained its composure and brought its weapon up, deflecting the last few rounds.

When his pistols clicked empty Shinji discarded the weapons and dove at his enemy, knocking the other Evangelion to the ground. The two wrestled for dominance over the weapon, but it didn't take Shinji long to tear it from his opponent's hands. Holding the double-blade in one hand, Unit-01 stood and held the other Evangelion in the air by its neck. However, as he lifted it up in the air he caught a glimpse of its back, and what he saw surprised him.

On the back of this Evangelion unit was the obvious covering for an entry plug. _Shit, this changes things,_ he thought in frustration. Still holding the struggling Evangelion by the throat, he turned around to see where the other unit was. What he saw before him, however, caused his heart to skip a beat. The other Evangelion held up its hand, and in it was Asuka's entry plug.

_Damnit! _Shinji thought, _how could I have been so stupid?!_ Looking for a way out of the situation, Shinji turned back to the Evangelion Unit-01 held in its hand. With a feeling of guilt, he shoved Unit-01's hand through its chest and pulled out the entry plug inside. _I'm sorry,_ he thought, trying to send his feelings to the pilot inside, _but I can't let your friend harm her._Dropping the Evangelion, Shinji turned to his opponent and showed it his bargaining chip. The two Eva units stood there in a stalemate for what seemed like hours. Finally, Unit-01 knelt down and made to put the entry plug on the ground, signaling for the other to do the same. Shinji's adversary complied, however, neither was willing to let go of the entry plug for fear that the other would not. Taking a gamble, Shinji had Unit-01 hold up three fingers. He took away the first one slowly, hoping that the other pilot would understand. When he took away his second finger, he was sure he saw the other Evangelion nod. Taking away his third, he opened his hand and lifted it away from the entry plug. He was relieved when his foe did likewise.

Free of their burdens, the two Evangelion units began circling one another. Shinji's enemy made the first move, rushing Shinji with its recovered weapon. Unit-01 hurled the double-bladed weapon it had taken from the other Evangelion at its opponent then drew its prog knife and charged. The white Evangelion deflected the projectile, but the distraction proved effective as it received a powerful blow to the chest from Unit-01; sending it tumbling backwards. Shinji continued his assault, once again charging his opponent.

The Evangelion regained its composure and drew its own prog knife, throwing it at Unit-01. The blade lodged itself in Unit-01's shoulder, but the rampaging Eva didn't so much as flinch as it dove for its foe. Tackling it to the ground, Shinji slammed the butt of his prog knife into the Evangelion's stomach. _If these models are anything like ours then that should hurt like hell, _he rationalized.

The attack bought him the little time he needed, and Shinji flipped the Evangelion around, tearing off the protective covering of the entry plug. When he saw his goal, he wasted no time in ripping it free of the Evangelion.

The massive mecha beneath him went limp, and Shinji gave a sigh of relief. He hadn't realized that he was holding his breath and wondered how long he had been doing so.

Locking Unit-01 into a crouching position with its hand on the ground, Shinji exited his entry plug and made his way to Asuka's, which was lying on the ground just a few yards away.

When Shinji opened the door he was briefly gripped by a state of panic, as Asuka appeared to be dead. However, when he reached out to check her pulse he once again gave a sigh of relief. Behind him he could hear the sirens of the rescue team. Deciding that Asuka would be fine Shinji made his way over to the entry plug he had just ripped from the second of his adversaries. The handle was still hot, but Shinji gritted his teeth and forced the door open.

Much to Shinji's surprise, inside the entry plug was a young girl who appeared to be unconscious. _She can't be any older than me when I started piloting!_ he thought. Shinji checked her pulse to make sure that she was, indeed, only unconscious. When he confirmed his suspicions he turned and saw that a rescue team had already made it to Asuka and the other entry plug (the occupant of which seemed to be a boy) and another was on their way towards him. Passing them, Shinji ran over to the group tending to Asuka.

"Is she going to be alright?" he asked, unable to hide the intense worry on his face.

"I think she'll be fine," said one of the men, "she just seems to be a little banged up. Don't worry, we'll take care of her."

Shinji begrudgingly nodded and stepped out of the way, allowing the men and women to do their job. As he turned to make his way back to headquarters, he was surprised to find Kaji already standing right in front of him, his face holding no expression.

Shinji walked up to him, a mild glare on his face, "What the hell was that, we just fought other Evangelions. They had pilots, Kaji! Tell me what's going on here."

Kaji could see from the look on the young man's face that this was not the Shinji he once knew. Offering him a cigarette, which Shinji gladly took, Kaji nodded with his head for Shinji to follow him. "Come on," he said, "lets go for a drive. I believe we have a lot to talk about."

--

thank you all for reading. sorry it too so long, school's been hectic and i've been lazy. however, if you leave a bunch of reviews, i promise to try and update sooner next time, although i'll be updating whether you do or not. this is is much for me as it is for you. i hope you enjoyed and once again thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion

Chapter 4

Kaji and Shinji speed down the highway in Kaji's convertible in silence for several miles, both wrapped up in their own thoughts: Shinji trying to make sense of what just happened, Kaji trying to figure out how best to explain the situation to Shinji. Kaji gave Shinji a glance out of the corner of his eye then reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. With a deft flick of his wrist he popped one half way out of the soft pack and offered it to Shinji, who gladly took it.

After lighting his cigarette with the car lighter Shinji took a long drag, eyes closed. He exhaled with a great sigh and then turned expectantly to Kaji.

"Shinji," Kaji began with a small sigh, "let me begin by telling you that what happened back there truly was a surprise. I'd be lying if I told you we weren't expecting an attack of that sorts eventually, but we believed we had much more time before they would be able to mobilize."

"Before who would be able to mobilize?" asked Shinji, still irritated.

"They call themselves Aequitas, it's Latin for justice," Shinji snorted at this, but Kaji continued. "Before now they were a small terrorist group who were centered in the United States. They were heavily against the battle with the Angels, believing that they were messengers from God and that we should accept whatever punishment they were here to bestow upon us.

"Despite their violent nature, they were really never anything but a nuisance. They were poorly organized and the U.S. had little trouble putting a stop to the attacks and uprisings that they attempted. Internationally, they were all but unknown.

"However," he continued before Shinji could say anything, "after Third Impact they suddenly became extremely capable. Not only that, but they seemed to have limitless expenses. It was clear to us that someone powerful and influential had taken the helm of their little organization. They started small, causing problems only within the U.S., eventually expanding their horizons and recruiting in other countries.

"When word got out that they had acquired the means to produce an Evangelion Unit the U.N. petitioned NERV's involvement in the matter. We began investigations immediately. One of our agents, God watch over his soul, discovered that, not only did they have the means of producing an Evangelion Unit, but had already created one. He died getting us this information. However, despite this, we were not in a position to take action yet. We had no idea where they were producing these Evangelions, and we thought it would take them a while before they were capable of training a pilot who could hold a candle to Asuka's abilities. Clearly we underestimated them," he concluded with a sigh.

"Is that all?" Shinji asked after a moment of silence.

Kaji nodded, "A general summary, but that's the gist of it."

There was another long silence as Kaji speed through a series of turns. Shinji finished his cigarette and flicked it at the trees that were flying by. They both made an attempt to break the silence at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Shinji, go ahead," Kaji said.

"Right," Shinji acknowledged. He paused for a moment, centering his thoughts, then continued. "Kaji, I want to pilot… well, ha, no. That's not right. I don't _want _to pilot. But that seems irrelevant now. Asuka needs my help, and I'm not going to let her fight alone again."

"I understand. Are you sure this is your decision, Shinji? We are not forcing you into anything, and we are in the process of acquiring several new Eva units along with pilots in training. If you did not want to do this, Shinji, we would find a way without Unit One," Kaji assured him.

"No, I understand that this is my decision. I'm not leaving Asuka's life in the hands of a couple of rookies. Besides, you'll want more than one veteran in this fight," Shinji said. There was a fierce determination in his tone and it surprised Kaji.

_Clearly this isn't the same Shinji that fought the Angels so many years ago, _he thought amusedly. Silence once more fell between the two, however, neither felt the need to break it. It was a comfortable silence, each wrapped in his own thoughts.

When Kaji turned onto Shinji's road it brought the young man out of his private reverie. "Kaji," he said, "would you mind taking me to the NERV hospital?"

Kaji gave Shinji a sideways look, a crooked smile on his face. However, he said nothing, for which Shinji was eternally grateful, and spun the car around, taking off towards NERV headquarters, .

They arrived shortly. Shinji got out and began to make his way inside. "Hey, Shinji!" Kaji yelled after him, causing him to turn. "Are you going to need a ride back?" he asked.

"No, I'll find my way," Shinji replied.

"Very well," said Kaji. "But hey, word of advice: be careful Shinji. If she wakes up while you're there I'd be willing to be a month's salary that there'll be hell to pay. She refuses to admit it, but I think you're leaving had a greater affect on her than any of us expected."

Shinji grimaced at this, but smiled and informed Kaji that he'd watch out. He knew as well as anyone the capabilities that the fiery redhead possessed when she was angry. He waved goodbye to Kaji and watched as the red convertible took off at slightly ridiculous speeds.

Shinji turned and made his way through the security checkpoint and through the winding halls that lead to the medical wing of NERV headquarters. When he rounded the corner leading to the rooms he bumped into Dr. Akagi.

"Oh, Shinji!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Dr. Akagi," he said with a polite smile. "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine. You've grown quite a bit since last time I saw you," she pointed out. A mischievous grin was hinting at the corner of her lips.

"Ha, yeah, I suppose so. Everyone seems to like telling me that," he said, pausing awkwardly afterwards. "Umm, Dr. Akagi, I was here to check up on…"

"Asuka, right?" she asked. "Come on, I'll show you to her room. You can stay as long as you like. She's in stable condition, but she's asleep. I'll have to ask you to be quite when you're in her room. We don't want to upset her."

With a wave of her hand Ritsuko lead Shinji to Asuka's room. Shinji peered through the window and saw that Asuka was hooked up to an IV, but aside from that she seemed to be doing fine. Ritsuko held the door open for Shinji, motioning him inside. When he passed through the doorway she closed the door behind him and made her way to attend to her other duties.

Shinji turned nervously back to the door, not sure whether or not he had expected Dr. Akagi to stay in the room with him. However, with a deep sigh, Shinji summoned the courage to make his way to Asuka. He grabbed the only chair in the room and pulled it up to Asuka's bedside. He sat hunched over with his arms resting on his knees. He sat that way for hours, watching Asuka's sleeping form and hoping that she would wake soon.

A feeling of disgust washed over him as he recalled the last time he was in this position. _I really am pathetic_, he thought. However, he quickly corrected himself as the image of a single word passed through his head: _was._

_--_

"Unh," she quietly moaned as she opened her eyes to mere slits. "What the hell happened?" she mumbled. A feeling of revulsion washed through her when she realized where she was. She attempted to recall the events that landed her in this much hated room but to no avail.

She lay in the bed, brooding, for several minutes before she noticed the presence of another next to her. Turning her head, she beheld the sleeping figure resting his head on the side of her bed. She paled, realizing who the young man was.

"Argh, what the HELL?!" she screamed. She sat bold upright and dealt a furious blow to the top of the young man's head.

The blow, accompanied with the high-pitched scream, sent Shinji sprawling back into his chair, gently nursing the top of his head.

"IDIOT!" she screamed at him, clearly enraged by his presence. "What the HELL are you doing here?!" she asked. Furry burned in her eyes. A terrible feeling passed through the young woman as she realized she already knew the answer.

"Ow, shit, Asuka! What was that for?" he asked, wincing as he rubbed the now tender spot on his head.

"Answer my question! What the hell are you doing here? And better yet, where the hell have you been the past six years?!" she yelled. It was plainly evident that she was not about to calm down anytime soon.

"I'm here because you're in the hospital, and as for the past six years, well, it's a long story," he explained, trying to dodge the question for the time being.

Asuka forcefully threw herself back onto her pillow, hands over her eyes. Shinji sat there quietly watching her; keeping a knowing lookout for any signs of another violent outburst. Finally, Asuka pulled her hands away from her face and let them fall limply at her sides. She turned to Shinji, and the expression on her face was quite contrary to the one he had expected.

"You saved me again, didn't you?" she asked. Her face was blank, and the tone in her voice suggested a gloomy acceptance of the answer she already knew was coming.

Shinji was slow to answer, knowing that he was treading on thin ice with his fiery friend. "Asuka," he began, "do you remember anything of the fight?"

Asuka simply shook her head, waiting for him to continue.

"You were deployed with no intelligence what-so-ever, including the location of the enemy. All we had was a general idea". He paused again to collect his thoughts, then continued his careful explanation. "There were two of them, even headquarters was not aware. They were Evas, but they didn't resemble ours. They had the appearance of the Evangelion production models that you fought during Third Impact".

Asuka's eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing. When Shinji was sure she wasn't going to interject he went on. "You were only aware of the one. If you had known there were two there's no doubt in my mind that you would have been fully capable of handling the situation on your own," Shinji added, hoping to play on his friend's ego. "The second Evangelion attacked you from behind. We regained a satellite visual shortly after. They had you pinned and it looked like they were getting ready to tear your Eva apart. That's when I had Kaji send me out in Unit One. I caught them by surprise… they had pilots, Asuka. They were just kids, like we were when we started off".

"So, I assume that you took them out shortly after, then?" Asuka asked. Shinji nodded apprehensively. However, the angry expression on Asuka's face was replaced by that of a ponderous one, and the explosion Shinji was waiting for never came. With a sigh, she looked at Shinji and muttered the last two words he had expected to hear from her mouth. "Thank you," she said reluctantly.

Shock briefly froze Shinji, but he quickly recovered, simply acknowledging her thanks with a nod.

There was an awkward silence in the room for several minutes. Asuka was the one to break it. "So, six years… how did it feel getting back in the cockpit?" she asked, a forced smirk on her face.

Shinji chuckled at this, well aware of the effort the fiery redhead was putting into her calm demeanor. "I wont lie, I wasn't overly thrilled about having to pilot again. Didn't have much of a choice though. I wasn't there for you last time, and I've regretted it every day since. I wasn't going to let history repeat itself… I couldn't let them hurt you again," he said solemnly.

His answer briefly shocked Asuka, but she quickly regained her composure. "So, are you here for good?" she asked.

"For good," he answered with a warm smile.

"Are… are you going to pilot again?" she questioned him cautiously.

Shinji thought he detected a veiled hopefulness in her question, but quickly discarded the idea. He smiled at her, this time slightly mischievously. "Yeah, I think I am. Kaji said that these two weren't the only ones out there. Apparently their expecting an army of sorts. I can't let you face that alone, despite your obvious, world-renowned talents. Besides, I figured that no army in the world could stand against the two of us. The greatest pilot in the world and the kid with more dumb-luck than anyone on this planet: what chance do they have?" he asked humorously.

Asuka let out a small chuckle at this, much to Shinji's delight, and was quick to agree with him. "You are lucky, I'll give you that. At least on the battlefield that is. The 'Invincible Shinji'. Now all we have to do is work on that spine of yours," she added with an evil smirk.

"Oh really?" he asked, faking offence. "I think you'll find my spine quite a bit more sturdy than last we met. I might even be a match for you now!"

His comment elicited a full-hearted laugh from Asuka, which Shinji thought made her glow all the brighter. "Oh, is that right?" she countered. "Well, we'll just have to see about that, Third Child. Now, find me a doctor and help me get the hell out of here. I've had enough of this place to last a lifetime, and I'm sure you have as well," she said, sitting up.

Shinji nodded and made his way out of the room to find one of the many doctors. It just so happened that the first one he found was Dr. Akagi.

"Rits… er, Dr. Akagi!" he called after her. Ritsuko turned expectantly to Shinji, a polite smile on her face that, although Shinji thought out of place, he believed looked good on her.

"Asuka's awake. She's wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. I was wondering, if you have time that is, if you or another doctor could do the final check so that she can get out of here," he explained.

"Sure, Shinji. It just so happens I have time now," she replied, making her way down the hall to Shinji. _It's good to see that, despite all the positive changes he's gone through, he hasn't lost that polite side of his,_ she thought.

They made their way silently down the hall for a while before Ritsuko's playful side got the better of her. "So, how did it go?" she asked with an expectant smirk on her face.

"It went… well, surprisingly," Shinji responded.

Dr. Akagi looked mildly surprised by this. "Really? She didn't yell and scream and attempt to end your life?"

"Well, she started to, but then out of nowhere she calmed down and asked me to recount what happened. She took it incredibly well, considering who we're talking about. After that, we just kinda… talked, I guess," he explained, just as surprised as Ritsuko by the lack of violence their encounter had. "She did give me a wicked smack to the head right after she woke up though. I've got the bump to prove it," he said with a grin on his face, tilting his head forward and rubbing the sore area to show Ritsuko.

The blonde doctor laughed lightly, a sound Shinji wasn't quite used to hearing, but liked nonetheless. "Well, I guess that's to be expected. Come on, I have a feeling I might need backup when I go in there. Seeing as how you two are so friendly with each other at the moment you might prove quite useful."

With that last comment the two made their way into Asuka's room. The redhead was still sitting up in her bed, staring out the window. When she heard them enter she turned to regard the two as they made their way to her side. Shinji was shocked, only mildly mind you, to see the venom in the girl's face when she noticed which doctor he had brought.

"Dr. Akagi," Asuka acknowledged calmly, quite contrary to the look on her face. Shinji looked at the doctor standing next to him and was impressed by the calm expression gracing her features, despite the fact that the animosity Asuka felt towards Ritsuko was quite palpable.

"Asuka," Ritsuko responded, accompanied with a polite nod. "Shinji says you're feeling well enough to go home. Let me run a few quick checks, but I see no reason to keep you here. You were in a fairly stable condition when you came in to begin with".

Asuka nodded stiffly, allowing Ritsuko to quietly go about her work. At one point during her examination Shinji was sure he saw Asuka shoot him an angry glare, but it was fleeting, as Ritsuko once again drew Asuka's attention back to her.

"Well, Asuka, everything looks good. Go home and get some rest. If you don't mind, I'd like to have Shinji accompany you home," said Ritsuko.

"Why?! I'm perfectly capable of getting home on my own, I don't need that idiot's help!" Asuka stated vehemently.

At this Shinji saw Ritsuko's calm composure break for the slightest of moments before she let out a sigh and attempted to placate the young woman before her. "There is no doubt in my mind, Asuka, that you would be fine on your own. However, you've been in bed for almost an entire day and I simply thought that it might be nice to have some company on your way home. Besides, I figured you and Shinji still had quite a bit of catching up to do. Not to mention that it would make everyone, including Shinji I assume, a little more comfortable if they knew I didn't just send you on your way after being in the hospital all day," Ritsuko explained patiently.

Asuka sat there fuming for a while, but eventually seemed to accept Ritsuko's explanation. Getting up from her bed, she stared expectantly at her company. When neither made any move to leave she glared furiously at them. "Get out of here! What are you waiting for, a show? I can't change with you two in the room!" she yelled.

Shinji and Ritsuko exchanged an amused look before making their way out of the room.

"Well," Shinji said with a wide grin, "it's good to see that she hasn't changed too much".

Ritsuko smiled back at him. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that. That one'll always be as stubborn and fiery as ever. I suggest you wait here until she comes out," the woman said. "After all, I wasn't joking when I said I had a feeling you two still have quite a bit of catching up to do".

"Right," Shinji agreed. The doctor waved goodbye and made her way down the hall. Shinji waited for what seemed like forever for Asuka to change. He was about to knock on the door when it swung open and Asuka stood in front of him in a pair of tight khaki shorts and a form fitting long-sleeved T-shirt, looking slightly less irritated than she had when Ritsuko was with them.

"Come on, lets go," she commanded, grabbing Shinji's arm and leading him in the opposite direction of Ritsuko.

The two walked for a while, Asuka dragging Shinji along behind her. The young man couldn't help but grin at the wave of nostalgia that washed over him.

When they finally reached the surface and walked through the security terminal Shinji forced the girl to slow up. "Hey, Asuka, come on lets slow down a bit, okay. You're going to yank my arm off if you continue dragging me along at your pace," Shinji pleaded.

"Well keep up then, baka," Asuka said. However, despite her comment she let go of Shinji's arm and slowed to a more casual pace. The two walked in silence for quite a while before Shinji could no longer bear it. "Hey, Asuka, where are we going?" he asked. "I just realized that I have no idea where you live anymore".

Asuka grinned at this. "You'll see. I promise you'll like it," she stated confidently. Shinji rolled his eyes at this. Knowing Asuka he was quite sure that the place would be quite over-the-top for a single person.

After they walked for about a mile and a half, chatting casually about the situation they now found themselves in (after all, they fought the Angels, how hard could these Evangelions piloted by amateur kids be?) Asuka grabbed Shinji's hand and turned down a heavily wooded street. Shinji looked around him as they walked, but all he could see were trees and the small paved road in front of them.

"Is there a subdivision way back here?" he asked.

"Nope," Asuka stated proudly. "I own all of this. Nice, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm impressed," stated Shinji sincerely. However, this just further enhanced his theory that Asuka's house was going to be blown out of proportions.

However, when they stepped into the small clearing Shinji found that his predictions could not have been further off.

Asuka's house was a two-story grey brick house that, although not small by any means, was nowhere near the size Shinji had been expecting. It had no exterior shutters and a comfortable looking front porch with a rocking chair and a swing.

When they made their way up to the standard looking white front door Shinji couldn't keep himself from making a crack about the swing on the porch. "So umm, Asuka, don't take this the wrong way, your house is beautiful, but exactly how old are you?" he asked playfully.

Asuka, keys in the door, turned to look at Shinji quizzically. However, when she saw him staring at the porch swing she frowned at him. "Idiot," she said, punching him lightly on the side of his head; an act that elicited an innocent grin from Shinji. "I'll have you know that I happen to like the porch swing. It's the second best place to read in the house. Now come on," she said, opening the door, "I'll give you the grand tour".

When they stepped inside Shinji noticed that Asuka hadn't held back when it came to decorating. The house had a very modern look to it, most of the furniture being very lightly colored and of an odd shape. Shinji had always thought that that style of decorating made a place look too sterile for him, but Asuka had done an excellent job of giving it a homey touch. Red (of course) pillows and cushions were everywhere, and she had pictures of one person or another on most of the tables and above the gas fireplace mantle. Most of the people in those photos Shinji didn't recognize; however, the biggest one, just above the mantle, was of Misato with her arms around her two former charges: both of whom looked less than thrilled to be in the picture.

"Awww, Asuka, I didn't know you cared," Shinji stated teasingly.

Asuka followed his gaze to the picture then rolled her eyes. "Shut up," she said with mock irritation. However, despite their mutual levity Shinji's continuos joking had caught her off guard. _He wasn't kidding when he said he'd changed over the years,_ she thought_, he certainly has grown a spine. He seems to be more comfortable with others as well as himself too._ She let Shinji explore her living room and look through the photos she had everywhere, all the while keeping her eyes on her old companion. _He's grown into quite the fine young specimen as well, _she continued her reverie. However, she quickly reprimanded herself for this last thought. _Careful, you still have no idea how much he's changed, _she thought.

The two made their way through the house, most of which was furnished in a similar fashion to the living room. The bedroom, on the other hand, was of a much simpler and more comfortable design. There was a soft looking cast iron king-sized bed with a red comforter and red pillows, as well as a cushioned bench built into the westward facing window. Asuka proudly flaunted her closet which, as was to be expected, was a walk-in that spanned the entire length of the room and was filled end to end with clothes and shoes.

When the two were making their way to the back yard, where Shinji could already see a rather large swimming pool, they passed by a large pair of closed double doors that oddly caught Shinji's attention. As they walked by Shinji tried one of the knobs, only to find the room locked.

"What's in there?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, that room. Best for last, Shinji, be patient," the young woman said sweetly, accompanying her honey tone with a flirtatious wink.

They made their way through the glass doors and onto Asuka's back patio, which was now bathed in the setting sun. Asuka clearly made sure that her back patio was party-ready at all times. She had a large gas grill on the right as soon as you walked out and on the left was a rather large patio set. A washers set and a bags set were propped up under the overhang right next to the patio furniture. To the east, on the other side of the swimming pool, she had a beach volleyball court and on the west was a pick-nick table with a hammock tied between two trees right next to it.

Shinji let out a low whistle. "Well, I must say Asuka, I _am _impressed. You're clearly ready for anything," he said to the girl beside him, who was beaming with obvious pride. "However, I'm still very curious about those locked doors."

Asuka gave a heavy, playful sigh, and accompanied it with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Very well," she said, as if she were giving in to a ridiculous request, "I suppose it's time to show you what's behind those doors. But you better feel pretty honored about this, Shinji. I don't let just anyone in that room. Too many delicate things rest behind those doors."

Making her way back through the sliding glass doors Asuka pulled out her keys and unlocked the large double-doors. "Are you ready, Shinji?" she asked, giving the boy a sideways look over her shoulder.

"Of course. After all, I've fought Angels, what could possibly behind those doors that would surprise me?" he asked good-humouredly.

Asuka nodded, pushing the doors open in front of her and making her way into the room. As soon as the doors opened Shinji was awestruck.

Before him sat a studio-grade mixer board, and above it was a window of soundproof glass. Following Asuka through the door into the room on the other side he saw that the walls were lined with acoustic soundproof panels. In one corner sat a simple drum set with a jazz setup and a bass amp with a '64 Fender Jazz bass sitting on a stand next to it. A little distance away a Marshall half-stack sat with a Gibson Les Paul Classic resting next to it. In the middle of the room was a condenser mic and in the other corner rested an electric grand piano.

Asuka was glowing with pride as she watched Shinji marvel at her personal studio. However, when his eyebrows scrunched into a confused, searching frown her smile slightly vanished. "What's up?" she inquired.

"This is incredible, Asuka," he said honestly. "But where's your violin?"

Asuka almost gave a sigh of relief when she realized what he was looking for (after all, it would go a long way to pissing her off if he thought her studio wasn't good enough). "You didn't seriously think I got rid of it, did you?" she called over her shoulder as she made her way to the other side of the piano and pulled her violin with an external pickup attached out from behind it.

Shinji smiled when he saw her instrument. "Well, then, I guess the only thing this room is really lacking is a cello, huh?" he asked.

"You bet," she exclaimed excitedly. "Bring it on over."

"I will. This place is really amazing, Asuka. Makes me feel a little silly about having gotten a simple apartment," Shinji said.

"Yeah, that was a little foolish," Asuka agreed. Then, after a brief moment of silence, said, "Hey, tomorrow's Saturday and I haven't got anything to do. I'll be damned if I go into NERV on one of my off days unless there's an emergency. Why don't you show me your apartment?" she suggested. Then, unable to keep her mischievous side in check added, "Unless you're embarrassed about it, of course".

Shinji adopted a look of mock defensiveness. "Of course not, my tiny apartment is every bit as impressive as your amazing house with a pool and a studio. Only thing is, it'll be quite a long walk in the opposite direction. We won't reach my house before sundown," he pointed out.

"Not a problem," Asuka stated excitedly. "I happen to have a _very _nice form of transportation". With that Asuka grabbed Shinji's hand and led him out to the garage.

Once again, Shinji was awed with what he saw. To begin with, the walls were lined with tools, and a tool chest that blew his out of the water was sitting right next to the door. In the middle, however, sat something that impressed him more than that: a red '68 Pontiac Firebird convertible with the top down.

"You've got to be kidding me," Shinji said. He walked around the car and gave another low whistle, clearly impressed by what he saw. "This is amazing, Asuka."

"I know," she said proudly. "Did most of the work on myself, I might add."

"You did? That's impressive. Well, come on, don't keep me waiting. Lets go!" Shinji said, hopping in the car without opening the door.

Asuka laughed amusedly and opened the garage door. Before it even reached the top she speed out in reverse all the way back down her long, paved driveway and into the street. Kicking it into gear, Asuka peeled off in the direction Shinji had indicated his apartment to be.

When they arrived Shinji was a little flustered. "Holy shit, Asuka! Who taught you how to drive, Misato?!" he asked breathlessly.

"Of course, who else? I could only get Kaji to give me a couple of lessons. Besides, she was still my guardian, so it was her duty," she explained, putting the top up before hopping out of the car.

Shinji got out after her, recalling that the last time he was so relieved to feel solid ground under his feet was the last time he had ridden in a car with Misato. He led Asuka up to his apartment and opened the door, kicking off his shoes and announcing his presence.

"Old habits die hard, huh?" Asuka asked, following Shinji inside his apartment and likewise removing her shoes.

"Ha, yeah, I suppose they do," Shinji replied good naturedly.

He wasted no time in showing Asuka around his apartment. _Not that there's much to show after _that _display, _he thought. When he finished his grand tour he invited Asuka to take a seat out on the patio. He offered her a beer, which she gladly accepted. When he made his way out with a six-pack of Yebisu in hand he couldn't help but laugh at the disappointed look on Asuka's face.

"Okay, come on. I may drive like Misato, but you cant _seriously _think you adopting her drinking habits is any better," she said disgustedly.

This comment elicited a laugh from Shinji. "Give me a little credit, you don't seriously think I bought this swill, do you? Misato had my fridge stocked with this crap as a housewarming gift. I didn't have much choice, and I'm not gonna let beer go to waste," he said in defense.

Asuka sighed as she popped open the can that Shinji handed her. "I suppose you're right," she begrudgingly agreed.

After Shinji popped open his own can he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his cigarettes and deftly lit it in a fluid, practiced motion. He closed his eyes and took a long drag from his smoke. When he opened them he was greeted by a look from Asuka that he knew all too well. He quickly prepared himself for the storm.

"You IDIOT!" she yelled at him, snapping her arm across the table to steal Shinji's cigarette from his mouth. He pulled back in time, but just barely. Asuka succeeded in knocking the cherry off his cigarette, causing Shinji to relight it. "You jackass!" she continued her rant, "how could you have started smoking?! This is by _far_ one of the most stupid things I've ever seen you do. You really are trying to be like Misato, aren't you?" she asked angrily.

Shinji sighed. _Should have seen that one coming, _he thought to himself. "I didn't start because of Misato. To be honest, I'm not quite sure why I started. I think I started doing it just when I drank and it just became a regular habit," he explained.

"Then quit," she commanded, as if it were that simple.

"It's not quite that easy Asuka. They don't call it a habit for no reason," he pointed out.

"Fine then, give me one," she said.

"What? Why, so you can toss it over the balcony?" he asked.

"No, so I can smoke one," she stated, as if it should have been obvious.

"You smoke?" he asked, surprised by her statement.

"No, but if you're going to then I don't see any reason why I shouldn't," she reasoned.

"No way, uhuh. I'm not going to give you a cigarette just so you can pick up this gross habit," he said adamantly.

"Hipocrite. If you think it's gross then why do you smoke?" she asked, clearly proud with her logic.

Shinji sighed, realizing he wasn't going to win this one. "Look, can we just drop it for now? I'll keep it to a minimum," he promised.

"Fine," Asuka responded. "But don't think you've heard the last from me on this subject, Third Child," she said sternly, putting emphasis on Shinji's old title.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said, taking another drag and blowing the smoke out in a succession of rings.

Asuka watched as the rings floated away, trying to hide the fact that she was impressed. However, she quickly gave in. "Okay, I'll admit, that was kinda cool," she said. "But don't for a second think that this means I'm okay with you smoking," she added quickly.

Shinji simply smiled at her and chuckled. Asuka was surprised, and slightly unnerved, by how easily Shinji's smile affected her now. The two old housemates talked long into the night, sipping beer the whole while. Shinji recounted his "adventures" in Europe and told Asuka of his current plans for the future; "'current' being the key word" he made sure to add, as they were now slightly up in the air because of the Eva's once again .

Asuka countered with what she had been doing since he left. He was surprised at how busy she had stayed. She told him that she had been attending college the whole time. She had gotten a second bachelor's degree in audio production and was working on getting her masters in violin performance. Shinji marveled at her drive and intensity.

Their conversation eventually turned their respective love lives. Shinji told her a little about the girl from Japan coincidentally happened to meet while in Ireland, Mana. Despite Asuka's mischievous prying Shinji insisted that the relationship hadn't gone anywhere. Asuka then told him about the staggeringly long list of guys she had briefly dated while he was gone, none of whom were "man enough for her". This proclamation came as no surprise to Shinji.

As the night wound on and the conversation started to slowly die due to their weariness and increasing inebriation Shinji began working up his courage. The young man rose from his seat, catching Asuka's attention, and gave her the most sincere, innocent look he could muster; knowing full well how his question might go over, even if she was slightly drunk.

"Hey, Asuka," he began, somewhat nervously to Asuka's obvious amusement. "It's three in the morning. We've been drinking all night so, umm… why uh, why don't you just stay the night here. The couch pulls out into a bed, and I've got some extra blankets and pillows. I'm sure you'll enjoy that more than the cot I still sleep on," he added, trying to show that he was trying to be a good host. Even in the dark it was easy to see the red hue taking over his face.

Asuka's eyes widened at this, and she was sure that her face was just as red. However, she quickly regained her composure before smoothly responding. "I don't know Shinji. Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked, secretly hoping he wouldn't back down, and mentally kicking herself every inch of the way for it.

"It's okay. Besides, we've both been drinking, and not that I think you couldn't make it home," he added, knowing full well Asuka's volatile temperament and not wanting to blow it by saying something stupid to offend her. "I just think it would be safer. Besides, it's not like we didn't live together for a year and a half anyway, right?" he said, hoping his logic would convince her.

Asuka sat there pretending to think it over before agreeing to his offer with what she hoped came across as reluctance. "Alright, I suppose you have a point," she said, standing up and making a show of yawning. When she stretched she was positive that she caught Shinji staring at her body out of the corner of her eye. This brought a smile to the corner of her mouth. Bringing her arms back down and folding them over her chest, Asuka adopted an "I mean business" stance before shooting Shinji a warning. "But listen, my 'Invincible' friend, just because I agree to staying here doesn't mean I couldn't make it home perfectly fine. And I better not catch you trying anything perverted, you hear me?" she said sternly.

Shinji's face broke into a wide grin and he threw his hands up in a show of innocence. "Come on, you know me, I wouldn't dream of it!" he defended himself.

"Yeah, right. Just like you _didn't _try and kiss me the night before we battled our second angel together," she threw out over her shoulder as she made her way inside to the couch and began removing the cushions. Shinji simply laughed as he followed her in and helped her prepare the couch-bed.

After Shinji got the bed ready Asuka came out of his room wearing the oversized T-shirt Shinji had given her to sleep in. The redhead made her way over to the side of the bed and pulled the covers back. Turning to Shinji, who she assumed was still standing next to her to make sure that the arrangements were satisfactory, she said with a bright smile on her face, "Thanks, Shinji. You did a very good job."

Shinji blushed and smiled back. "I… it was nothing. I'd do anything for you Asuka," he said. However, as soon as the words left his mouth he regret blurting them out. _That was reckless, Shinji, _he thought, _it's a little early for that._

However, if his words bothered Asuka then she showed no sign of it. Leaning up to the young man who was now taller than her she gave him a warm kiss on the cheek before climbing into the bed he had prepared.

"Night, Shinji. Thanks again," she said before rolling over and closing her eyes.

"Goodnight, Asuka. I'll see you in the morning. Hell, maybe I'll even have breakfast ready," he said happily before turning the light off and making his way to his room. He took off his shirt and crashed on his bed, not even bothering to take his pants off.

However, despite how weary the two young adults were, they both struggled to get to sleep. Each was kept up by a torrent of thoughts that would not abate. Both Shinji and Asuka were shocked by how comfortable it had been to spend so much time with the other; and they both stayed up wondering what the implications were of the night that had just transpired.

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Authors note: Hey, sorry it took so long. I'll attempt to update more frequently. I hope you enjoyed. Please Read and Review


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